BBC Radio 4 Extra

Noise: A Human History: Carnival

Carnival

Noise: A Human History

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Noise: A Human History, Carnival

Prof David Hendy tells the story of a medieval street party that lasted for eight weeks.

Professor David Hendy tells the story of a Medieval street party that lasted for eight weeks, with streets filled with processions, animal baiting, games and mystery plays.

Feast days in Medieval Europe were noisy affairs - the streets filled with processions, animal baiting, games and mystery plays. 

Professor David Hendy of the University of Sussex tells the story of a Somerset town where a church ale got out of hand and the party went on for eight weeks. Then, as now, being raucous in the streets was a way for the dispossessed to make themselves heard - and revelry could easily tip into revolt.

30-part series made in collaboration with the British Library Sound Archive.

Producer: Matt Thompson.
A Rockethouse production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in 2013.

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